Cambodia

NGO partner:

Caring for Cambodia

Why we support education here:

From 1975-79 Cambodia suffered a genocide that killed an estimated 1.7 million people. This tragedy resulted in drastic loss of teachers, students and educational resources. Cambodia has made great progress since this time, yet challenges remain for children to access quality education. The majority of adults are employed in subsistence agriculture (growing enough food to survive) and the average family earns less than $200 per month. Unfortunately, this results in many children being forced to drop out of school to work and help their families survive. By the time children turn 17 years old, 55% of them will have dropped out of school.

Interesting Facts:

• Cambodia has an incredibly young population! A staggering 66% of the population is under the age of 30.
• Cambodia is home to the largest religious building in the world, Angkor Wat. This 12th century “City of Temples” extends across 400 square kilometres and is proudly displayed on the country’s flag.
• Traditionally, birthdays are not celebrated in Cambodia (although this is rapidly changing). Many older Khmer people might not even know their birthday.